Forum: Expo Gardens dead if it can only host the fair

You know that if you buy a house next to the airport, there might be airplane noise. So if you buy a house next to Expo Gardens, what would you think? That there might be a fair, there might be other noises.

Limiting the fairgrounds to only the Heart of Illinois Fair will kill Expo. There's no choice for Expo except to sell. I believe the real purpose of this whole vote is to shut down the fairgrounds, obtain the land and sell it to a developer or to District 150. As a citizen, you can't look or care or even pay attention because they don't want to hear your voice. Silence is golden.

This is far more than a noise issue. It's a political issue and big money issue. Look at how District 150 expanded onto the Expo grounds with a parking lot for its buses. Meanwhile, prime real estate in the middle of the city potentially spells a lot of green.

Why should this bother you? Because it's taking a piece of history away. The Fair has been struggling over the years, everyone knows that. But in order to survive, they have to come up with a mixture of events that have produced revenue not just for them but for the whole city and a slew of performers and customers. If this action goes through, gone will be the 4-H fairs and all of the other smaller events that still draw people to this city.

I urge citizens to call their City Council member today and help preserve a piece of history.